The Lions have caught the attention of the league and its broadcast partners.

The team will have five nationally televised regular-season games this season: two Sunday night games, a Monday night game, a Saturday night game and the traditional Thanksgiving Day game.

The Lions open the season at home on Sunday, Sept. 9 against St. Louis. They then play at San Francisco on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 8:20 p.m. That game will be a rematch between Lions coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who had an altercation following last season's meeting.

The other Sunday night game is Dec. 9 at Green Bay. The Monday night game is at Chicago on Oct. 22, and the Saturday night game is home against Atlanta on Dec. 22.

The Lions host Houston on Thanksgiving Day.

Here is the entire schedule, with date, opponent, TV network and time. Home games are in all caps:

What a change! Will have to find a way to sweet talk the boss for being late those Monday and Tuesday mornings...

_________________I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, "You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit." As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit

April 17th, 2012, 8:14 pm

Footsoldier32

5th Round Pick - Traded

Joined: February 28th, 2007, 12:13 pmPosts: 1016

Re: Lions Shedule: five nationally televised games

I really like this schedule. We shouldn't have any games that are exceptionally hot or exceptionally cold (excluding @ GB). We could really do some damage with this schedule.

I really like this schedule. We shouldn't have any games that are exceptionally hot or exceptionally cold (excluding @ GB). We could really do some damage with this schedule.

If we survive the first 8 games, I agree. But, we are on the road for 5 of the first 8 games. That's just flat out brutal.

Yeah but with the exception of the 49ers game, and possibly Eagles and bears, those first 8 games should be relatively easy by NFL standards. Obviously that can change and some teams can become wildly improved or terrible by the season and come out hot or cold but as it stands now, many of those games should be wins. Just predictions for me. Doesn't mean that they are absolutely going to turn out that way.

Two years ago, no one wanted to put the Detroit Lions on national TV. Now they’re one of the NFL's biggest draws.

The Lions will play five nationally televised games this year and make four primetime appearances, against two of their biggest rivals and two other NFC playoff teams.

The Lions play one Monday night game this year, at the Chicago Bears in Week 7 (Oct. 22), two on Sunday night -- in Week 2 (Sept. 16) against the San Francisco 49ers (Sept. 16) and Week 14 (Dec. 9) against the Green Bay Packers -- and another on Saturday night, home against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 (Dec. 22).

Receiver Nate Burleson said today he was excited to see how many night games the Lions have this year after playing just two last season (including one that was flexed to prime time in December).

Teams can make a maximum of five primetime appearances.

“It’s not necessarily being on TV and playing in front of the nation, it’s more just the signs of respect and the direction we’re headed in,” he said. “Last year, when we had a couple games on TV, it just showed that people wanted to see us, and we’re starting to make a splash, so I’m kind of interested to see what type of schedule is out there for us this year.”

The Lions open the season with a 1 p.m. Sunday game against the Rams, a meeting that pits Lions coach Jim Schwartz against his former boss, first-year St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher. Schwartz spent 10 seasons working under Fisher with the Titans.

They host Andre Johnson and the Houston Texans in their annual Thanksgiving game, and play five of their last seven games at home, including the last two against the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears.

Last year, the Lions finished 10-6, making the playoffs for the first time since 1999, but won just five of eight games at home.

“Last year, we saw glimpses of (the fans) giving us an advantage, just being so loud, the other team couldn’t hear themselves,” Burleson said. “We’ve got to do our job, and that allows the fans to be a part of the game.”

Here’s the full Lions schedule and a game-by-game prediction of how they’ll fare this fall:

• Sept. 9: Rams at Lions: It’s not the most glamorous of openers, but the Schwartz-Fisher storyline will get plenty of play. And the Lions should have no trouble opening the season the right way for the second straight year. Pick: Win

• Sept. 16: Lions at 49ers (Sunday night): This game had to be in prime time, not only because it’s two of the best teams in the NFL but because of last year’s handshake gone wrong between Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. Pick: Loss

• Sept. 23: Lions at Titans: Another trip down memory lane for Schwartz, the former Titans defensive coordinator, and players such as Kyle Vanden Bosch and Stephen Tulloch. Tennessee won’t be a pushover, especially at home, but the Lions are the better team. Pick: Win

• Sept. 30: Vikings at Lions: Minnesota’s the worst team in the NFC North by a fair margin, and the Lions might get a break catching them early in the season, with Adrian Peterson coming off a torn ACL. Pick: Win

• Oct. 14: Lions at Eagles: Philadelphia went just 8-8 last year, but it’ll be in the thick of the playoff hunt this fall, as long as Michael Vick stays healthy. Vick and LeSean McCoy did a number on the Lions when they met two years ago. Pick: Loss

• Oct. 22: Lions at Bears (Monday night): The Lions took full advantage of the home-field crowd in a Monday night win over the Bears last year, forcing nine false-start penalties. Chicago won’t get the same lift this year, but they’ll be tough to beat in prime time. Pick: Loss

• Oct. 28: Seahawks at Lions: Matt Flynn earned himself a nice free-agent payday with a 480-yard, six-touchdown day in the regular-season finale against the Lions last year. Don’t think the Lions' defense has forgotten. Pick: Win

• Nov. 4: Lions at Jaguars: Jacksonville could be the worst team the Lions face this year, and it doesn’t matter whether Chad Henne (Michigan) or Blaine Gabbert is the quarterback. Pick: Win

• Nov. 11: Lions at Vikings: Peterson should be rounding back into form by early November, and Minnesota always has been a tricky place to play. But if the Lions want to contend for the NFC North title, this is a road game they must win. Pick: Win

• Nov. 18: Packers at Lions: It’s only fitting that the two best teams in the NFC North play twice in the final seven weeks. The Lions have enough offensive firepower to hang with the Pack, but can they stop Aaron Rodgers? Pick: Loss

• Nov. 22: Texans at Lions (Thanksgiving): With Andre Johnson, a healthy Matt Schaub and that defense, Houston will be one of the favorites to win the AFC this year. But the Lions will get their first Turkey Day win since 2003. Pick: Win

• Dec. 9: Lions at Packers (Sunday night): The Lions have exorcised a lot of demons the last few years, but they still haven’t won on the road against Green Bay since 1991. A primetime game in December isn’t about to change that. Pick: Loss

• Dec. 16: Lions at Cardinals: Calvin Johnson topped Larry Fitzgerald’s record contract with his eight-year, $132-million deal this off-season. He could have a chance to keep him out of the playoffs, too. Pick: Win

• Dec. 22: Falcons at Lions (Saturday night): The expectation is for this game to have serious playoff implications. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been scheduled for prime time. These two teams don’t like each other much, and the Lions have the revenge factor on their side. Pick: Win

• Dec. 30: Bears at Lions: What a way to finish the season. Both teams should be in the thick of the playoff race if they stay healthy, and this game could end up deciding a wild-card spot. If that happens, Ford Field will be crazy. Pick: Win

There's a good poll connected to this link as well. "Which Lions game on national TV most interests you?" Guess which game is winning?

So, How likely is it that the Lions can win 11 games? Do you agree with Dave Birkett? Could the Lions go 11-5 and still NOT win the division? Or, Make the playoffs?

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April 18th, 2012, 6:25 am

m2karateman

RIP Killer

Joined: October 20th, 2004, 4:16 pmPosts: 10398Location: Where ever I'm at now

Re: Lions Shedule: five nationally televised games

I think 11-5 is realistic, but the Lions are going to have to put together a solid draft to make it happen, while filling some holes on the offensive line and in the secondary. Without a solid second corner and a huge upgrade at safety over Spievey, the Lions defense will struggle and they will be lucky to notch nine wins.

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April 18th, 2012, 8:05 am

Pablo

RIP Killer

Joined: August 6th, 2004, 9:21 amPosts: 9898Location: Dallas

Re: Lions Shedule: five nationally televised games

I like how we end the season with two games at home against teams we could be in the playoff hunt against. Road games in Philly and Chicago come relatively early in the schedule when weather won't be much of a factor leaving on the Packers game in early December as a bad weather game and 7 of the last 8 games are in domes.

I don't like early bye weeks but the Lions should be 3-1 heading into that and have plenty of time to get ready for Vick/Philly and get an extra day for the MNF game against da Bears.

I don't quite know how you can say that so far from the day we play. We're returning 21 of our 22 starters (one new WR), and we'll be home this time. On the flip side, perhaps the Lions will have a running game to lean on a little, and some better tackling in the open field, and they'll throw the ball to CJ more (DAMN HIM!).

It's gonna be great, one of the most hyped up games of the year. I wish we were playing each other week 1. Then the trash talking could begin right now! Gotta concentrate on the Packers first. :<

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Pablo wrote:

the app worked OK, but it is hard to draft while driving.

April 18th, 2012, 10:36 am

Pablo

RIP Killer

Joined: August 6th, 2004, 9:21 amPosts: 9898Location: Dallas

Re: Lions Shedule: five nationally televised games

49ers wrote:

BillySims wrote:

I fully expect a blood bath with us getting revenge.

I don't quite know how you can say that so far from the day we play. We're returning 21 of our 22 starters (one new WR), and we'll be home this time. On the flip side, perhaps the Lions will have a running game to lean on a little, and some better tackling in the open field, and they'll throw the ball to CJ more (DAMN HIM!).

It's gonna be great, one of the most hyped up games of the year. I wish we were playing each other week 1. Then the trash talking could begin right now! Gotta concentrate on the Packers first. :<

Agreed. This is a very tasty treat early on the schedule. You almost have to worry about the Lions overlooking the Rams with the niners up the next week, that can't happen for San Fran who opens with GB.

I like how we end the season with two games at home against teams we could be in the playoff hunt against. Road games in Philly and Chicago come relatively early in the schedule when weather won't be much of a factor leaving on the Packers game in early December as a bad weather game and 7 of the last 8 games are in domes.

I don't like early bye weeks but the Lions should be 3-1 heading into that and have plenty of time to get ready for Vick/Philly and get an extra day for the MNF game against da Bears.

Can't wait!

When you measure from training camp, then the Pre-season; This is really the mid point of the season. I would think they all need a break.